Flight Test Files: Convair XF-92A Dart

As part of the Flight Test Files series, which explores groundbreaking aeronautical advancements pioneered by NACA and NASA, the Convair XF-92A Dart stands out as a pivotal experimental aircraft.

Moreno Aguiari
Moreno Aguiari
This NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station photograph of the XF-92A was taken around 1953 near Edwards Air Force Base. NACA/NASA
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With “The Other First Man,” we launched a series of articles called Flight Test Files dedicated to the captivating stories of aeronautical advancements pioneered first by NACA and later by NASA over the years. The “Flight Test Files” series of articles explores the aircraft used by the Dryden Flight Research Center over the years in its pursuit of aeronautical advancements. Since the 1940s, the Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, CA, has built a unique and specialized capability for conducting flight research programs.
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The NACA Test Force at the High-Speed Flight Station in Edwards, California. The white aircraft in the foreground is a Douglas Skyrocket.

Today, we explore the Convair XF-92A Dart produced by the Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation in the early 1950s. The XF-92A Dart was America’s first delta-wing aircraft. It was built as a test bed for a proposed interceptor that never materialized. The XF-92A was then used to test the delta-wing concept. The delta wing’s large area (425 square feet), thin airfoil cross section, low weight, and structural strength made a great combination for a supersonic aircraft. The aircraft was powered by an Allison J33-A-29 turbojet engine with an afterburner.

Convair XF 92A Dart
The photograph shows the pitot-static probe, used to measure airspeed, Mach number, and altitude, mounted on a noseboom protruding from the aircraft’s nose engine inlet. Photo NACA/NASA

Convair and the U.S. Air Force flew the XF-92A from 1948 to 1953. After the Air Force’s plans for an interceptor failed to materialize, the NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station, which had supplied engineering, instrumentation, and operational assistance to the Air Force during its flights, took over the flight test program in 1953. A. Scott Crossfield flew all 25 NACA flights of the NACA’s XF-92A program over a six-month test period.

XF 92A Flap Calibration
The photograph is a close-up view showing an engineer calibrating the trailing edge flap of the delta wing on the left side of the aircraft. The Convair XF-92A aircraft was powered by an Allison J33-A turbojet engine with an afterburner, and was unique in having America’s first delta wing. Photo NACA/NASA

The original XF-92A ship had a severe pitch-up problem but was tested with different wing-fence combinations to gather data on their contribution to solving that problem. The pilot also reported that the aircraft was sluggish and underpowered. Besides validating the thin delta wing principle, the XF-92A played a major role in supporting the development of the Convair F-102A interceptor, the Air Force’s first attempt at an all-weather, supersonic interceptor. In 1953, the XF-92A experienced a landing gear failure on rollout after landing at the NACA High-Speed Research Station and the aircraft was retired.

XF 92A on Ramp
The photograph is a straight-on view of the aircraft and provides a good view of the fuselage and delta wings. The right delta wing and aft fuselage of the XF-92A has some tufts attached for airflow analysis. Photo NACA/NASA

The single-place XF-92A airplane had a delta wing swept at 60 degrees. It was 48.2 feet long, had a 31.3-foot wingspan, and was 17.5 feet high at the tip of the vertical stabilizer. It was controlled by a conventional rudder and full-span elevons that functioned as elevators and ailerons. Learn More About Armstrong’s History

NACA Research Aircraft Bell X 1A D 558 1 XF 92A X 5 D 558 2 X 4 and X 3
This 1953 photograph captures a lineup of research aircraft at the NACA High-Speed Flight Research Station, now known as NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center. At the center is the Douglas X-3, surrounded clockwise by the Bell X-1A (AF serial 48-1384), the third Douglas D-558-1 (NACA tail number 142), Convair XF-92A, Bell X-5, Douglas D-558-2, and Northrop X-4. Photo NACA/NASA
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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
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